Type-cleaning device for type-writing machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. VAN FLEET. TYPE CLEANING DEVICE FOR'TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. VAN FLEET; TYPE CLEANING DEVICE FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

No. 469,179. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

NITED STATES PATENT. OFFIoE.

FRED VAN FLEET, OF IVILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,179,-dated February 16, 1892. Application filed July 10, 1891- Serial No. 399,046. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, FRED VAN FLEET, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Williamsport, in the countyof Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Cleaning Devices for Type-Writing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement on my patent, No. 450,126.

It consists, chiefly, in the oombination,with a brush operated as described in the said patent, of a holder for retaining a type ortypes in position to be struck by the said brush, the series of type being normally out of reach of the said brush.

It also consists in the said holder thus combined made detachable from the machine.

It also consists in the combination, with the type-bars and holder, of a brush and actuating mechanism arranged as described in said patent, the size of the brush being reduced so that it will not reach the types in the typebasket, but only one or more of them as moved independently toward the said brush and there held during its action thereon, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the brush and its support in the position taken at one-fourth stroke, the holder, and some of the type-bars, the type-basket being shown in vertical section and one of the said type-bars audits type being shown in position for the latter to be brushed. Fig.2 represents a plan view of the same, showing all the type, the type-bars being cross-sectioned. Fig. 8 represents an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1, the typebasket being sectioned as in the latter figure. Figs. 4 and 6 represent views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing a holder adapted to retain two types at once in position to be brushed. Fig. 5 represents a detail view of such a holder.

A designates the brush or type-cleaner, which is fastened to a bar B at or near the upper end of the latter. The said bar is longitudinally slotted at Z2 near its lower end and is mounted on a pivot-pin 0, extending horithe said slot. This standard is rigidly fastened by a clamp-plate E and screw F or any other convenient means to a rod G, forming part of the machine-frame. The upper part D of the said standard is tubular, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, forming a transverse horizontal bearing for a crank-shaft H, provided with an actuating-crank-arm I. The other end of the said shaft is provided with a crank J, having attached thereto a wristpin K, that is connected pivotally to a pin or stud L about the middle of the bar B. The types M, carried by type-bars N, resting at their lower ends within a guide-ring 0, make, as illustrated, an elliptical opening.

As thus far described, the devices are identical in construction, arrangement, and operation with those described in the aforesaid patent, and reference is hereby made to the latter for a fuller description of them;

but instead-of making the brush sufficiently large to sweep one half of the types in going up and'the other half in going down through the opening, the said type remaining in their zontally inward from a standard D through I normal positions, the said brush is made so small and the throw of the arm 13 is so cal' culated that no type will be reached or cleaned by the said brush unless moved inward from its normal position toward the said brush. To effect this eachtype-bar N is in turn thrown up as if for type-writing, though not so far, by pressure on the proper key, (not shown,) transmitted through the operating rod or wire P belonging to the said type-bar, or the said type-bar may be thus raised by the type-holder R, hereinafter described. Its return to the normal position is intercepted by the said type-holder E. This consists of a wire bent or twisted into suitable shape and without'attachment, preferably, to any part of the type-writer. This holder has a handle r formed on its upper end and a V-shaped recess or indentation 8 near its lower end to receive the type-bars N one at a time. As shown in Fig. 4:, there may be more than one of these notches or indentations 8 formed in the said holder, enabling it to hold two or more types in position to be cleaned at once. The said holder R is also provided with bent parts If, bearing against the types which are still in their normal position or against some other relatively fixed object or objects, in order'that the type or types moved forward, as described, may be securely held, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, during the operation of cleaning them by the said brush. I do not confine myself to the precise form or material of the said brush, as shown and described, for these may obviously be varied greatly without departing from my invention. After each type thus moved and held toward the brush has been cleaned the holder is removed by hand and the next type or pair of types to be cleaned is moved upward and inward in the same manner by pressure on the appropriate keys, and the holder is used to secure it or them, as before. Thisis continued untilevery type of the basket has been cleaned, an operation which usually takes about two minutes. The brush has preferably the shape either of a circle or of a short ellipse. WVhen the types remain in their normal position, it clears them all around by about one-fourth of an inch. After the cleaning is complete for the entire series the type-holder B may be hung on the outside of the machinefor example, on the ribbon-feed crank-shaftaor kept inany convenient receptacle. It may also be attached to the machine by a small chain, ribbon, or cord 4* to prevent loss.

The advantages of this device are: It will clean the type thoroughly and efficiently with.- out soiling the hands or clothing. The typeholder R, being movable. allows the type to be adjusted to the exact position for the most efficient action of the brush, for by raising the holder slightly the type will be moved correspondingly nearer to the brush and the latter will act on it with more force; By lowering the said holder the action will be reversed. The same movement of the holder, also, in either case varies more or less the inclination of the face of the type. By such adjustment the cleaning action is made to conform to the, condition of the type. Each type being firmly supported by the holder while being cleaned, the brush has no tendency to force the type-bars out of alignment.

The brush, being small and coming into contact with but one type at a time (or at 'the most with two or three types) requires very little power to run it and works with great ease. The brush being smaller than the typeopening can be applied to any type-writing machine without especial trimming or fitting. The type is always held at a. better angle to be cleaned by a tilting and striking brush, of the kind described than if left in its normal position, since it is best that the blow should be at right angles to the surface struck upon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the type-bars and a cleaning de vice, of a holder which is independent of the operating mechanism of the said bars and 7 adapted to retain a type-bar and itstype in fixed position within the type-basket during the operation of cleaning, the said holder being without attachment to the machine when in use and either free from the said machine or flexibly connected thereto when not in use, substantially as set forth.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the type-bars and a cleaning device, of a holder which is movable to adjust at will the position of the type with reference to said cleaning device, for the purposes set forth.

' 3. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the type-bars and'a cleaning device,of a holder which is free or removably and flexibly attached to the machine and adapted to be inserted at will at any point within the type-basket and behind any one of the said type-bars and hold it in position, as described, and to be attached to the outside of the machine when the work of cleaning is complete, substantially as set forth.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of type-bars and type formin g a type-opening with a type-cleaner smaller thanthe said opening, actuating mechanism adapted to move it through the said openingwith actuating mechanism whereby the brush is caused to pass through the said opening without touching any of the said type when in their normal position, substantially as described.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combina-. tion of a series of type-bars and type, of a.

type-cleaning brush adapted to be actuated through the type-opening without touching any of the type when in their normal position, mechanism for actuating the said brush through the said type-opening, and a detachbe cleaned by the said brush and retaining it or them in such position, substantially as set forth.

8. The holder R, provided with a'recess or notch s to receive and hold a type-bar, and with a part 15, adapted to bear against the front of a type-bar in its normal position 01' other relatively-fixed device, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with the type of a type writing machine, a type-cleaner adapted to be actuated near the faces of said type without touching them when in their normal position'and devices for so actuating it, and a detachable holder arranged to bring the types forward and support them at a point in the 

